Marie-Claude PICHERY Laboratoire d`Economie de Dijon – uBFC

Climate Change and Economic Challenge
Strategies for Grapegrowers, Winemakers and
Wine Estates
Marie-Claude PICHERY
Laboratoire d’Economie de Dijon – uBFC CNRS UMR 6307-INSERM U 1200
Willamette Valley, Oregon – July 10-14, 2016
The look of an Economist
Climate and nature
relevant and pervasive production
factors in viticulture
as land, capital, labor
The estates in Burgundy (1)
* familial and specific estate
medium size: roughly 56% between 5 and 15 ha
* double function: grapegrower and winemaker
vigneron
* with permanent and occasional workers (pruning, harvest)
* multiplots vineyard land
15 to 20 plots in different villages; reduce naturally
exposure risk to frost and hail
* high specificity of each plot (altitude, slope, exposure),
protection by proximity of bush, wood, wall…
Plot of Clos de Vougeot
50 ha 96 ares 54 centiares - 126 acres - 85 owners and "vignerons "
crucial influence of topography
difference between top and bottom of the plot
Plots and grapegrowers
Plot « Le Montrachet »
7ha 99a 80ca - 19,768 acres - 18 owners – 26 producers
The estates in Burgundy (2)
* valorization of terroir nuances at plot scale
* high ranking of wines (4 levels)
* good experience of permanent adaptation
because of high spatial climate variability
due to plots (eventually spread of 2 or 3
Celsius degrees between top and bottom of a
plot)
A selection of some challenges
Water requirement
* watering generally prohibited for AOC/AOP
* but new regulation proposed if the drought is dangerous
for vine stock (collective action, Mediterranean vineyards)
* micro-irrigation implemented in southern appellations
* requires heavy equipment and important water reserve
* some inaccessible plots - no water available
* conflicts of water use: viticulture, farming, industry ,
population
Subsequently
* needs of water reprocessing
* rising water price is foreseeable
* choice of priority treated plots is
required
Frost
advance of flowering during late frosts period
* what plots to protect?
* how to protect?
* insurance against frost?
Collective installations of vineyard frost protection
and collective watch
heaters (gas, petrol)
pollution
sprinkling water
great quantity of water
necessity of important
reserve water
wind machine
with petrol reserve
frost canvas
power cables
http://www.duboisag.com/fr/hibertex-pro-toilede-protection-contre-le-gel-5673.html
show after spraying
buds shriveled after a wave of frost
Hail and severe storms
* high frequency, high intensity
* local impacts and local protection
* destruction of crops (one year)
* serious injury for vine stock followed by
scrupulous pruning to keep / protect
future harvest
Hail - Roche de Solutré (Burgundy)
13th of Avril 2016
destruction of crop
financial loss
Soil loss and nutriment erosion
impact on future quality of grapes
… and wine
Source : JP Garcia et alii – Université de Bourgogne - 2007
« Remontée de terre »
distribution of soil after heavy thunderstorms (rain and/or hail)
from the bottom of the plot, along the slope
Taille de la vigne et Remontée de terre
Bréviaire Grimani, Mars, 1490-1510 - BN Marciana, Venise
Anti-hail guns and new networks - Anti-hail protection equipment
Anti-hail protection
equipment
(experimentation in
designation regulation AOC)
Network of 53 generators for anti hail protection system
in Burgundy - Côte de Beaune
For vignerons, importance of
* subscription of weather report and warning
message
at a very local level
* collective watch
* grapegrower solidarity
* decision of insurance (15% of surfaces in Burgundy)
Migration of parasites
from the south
Vine pests and diseases
* fight against vectors responsible for disease
distribution
* loss (partial or total) of harvest
* risk of loss of plant
Scaphoideus titanus
vector of disease
"golden flavescence"
* development if not enough cold
winter temperature
(Winter 2015 – 2016?)
* irreparable consequences for
continuity of vines and eventually of
vineyard (cf phylloxera)
Drosophila suzukii
* loss of grapes
* reduction of yields
and vintage
* wines destroyed
after wine-making
process
Collective and compulsory action in search of parasites
vector of golden flavescence
* official and regional decision of compulsory treatment
* absence of treatment endangers the vines of area (plots,
vineyard village)
* prosecution against grape grower if no treatment
http://www.vitisphere.com/actualite-79648-Moins-dinsecticides-contrelaflavescencedoree.htm
Evolution of treatments
concern of health and environment
limit of ineffective chemical
treatment
2015 - « millerandage » and drought
* imperfect fertilization of the flower that gives small berries
* drought and low rainfall in August
* beautiful harvest although reduced
* very good sanitary condition; high quality for wines
* rising of prices in "en primeur" charity auction sales
Hospices de Beaune (November 2015, 27 to 32 %)
Nuits-Saint-Georges (March 2016, 54 to 73 %)
Harvest
at the beginning of September
with high temperature during the day
Alsace 1970-2015 Champagne 1951-2015 Saint-Emilion 1892-2015
Données CIVA
http://www.ca-espace-champagne.com/changement-climatique/
http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/Dates-des-vendanges-a-Saint.html
Harvest during night
between 2 and 7 AM in Italy
or very early in the morning
grapes at winery before 10 or 11 AM
in Bordeaux – Graves area
Transport yesterday in vintage vat
Today: equipment to keep grapes fresh,
not squeezed to avoid risk of fermentation or spoilage by indigenous
microorganisms on berries or on grape handling equipment
crates of small
size with holes
use of refrigerated trucks
Meticulous sorting out
* sorting instructions during cutting in the row
* first inspection at the end of the row
* second inspection at the entry of the winery (sorting
table)
* sorting table under the attentive eye of the
responsible of the estate
(owner, winemaker, …)
* time using
* labor using
* time and money costing
but essential to make a good wine
In each situation
* fundamental importance of regional climate model
with precise local information
* fine thinking in terms of risk insurance (hail, frost)
* continuous concern in terms of technical adaptation
with aid of new connected equipments
* decision concerning kind of quality wines to propose
to retain customers and wine lovers
In Burgundy
a new responsibility with inscription of
"Climats de Bourgogne"
at UNESCO World Heritage
(4th July 2015)
Conclusion
For almost nine millennia of experience
with help of « vignerons »
their sense of observation
their presence in plots
their adaptability and sense of experimentation
their extreme vigilance
I wish us to have pleasure to continue to share and to taste fine and
great wines!
Thank you for your attention!
Cheers!